Impact of assessing the emotional health status in the management of cancer patients

Abstract

Background and aims: This study explores the impact of emotional health on cancer patients, acknowledging the controversies and lack of high-quality data in the field, particularly for rare cancers and younger patients. It highlights the significant prevalence of depression and anxiety among cancer patients, the inadequacies in addressing mental health during and after treatment, and the inconsistencies in prevalence rates due to varying study methodologies. This study unravels the importance of data regarding mental health status in a clinical dataset to accompany the biological sample to be included in a biobank.

Methods: The study utilized a questionnaire to evaluate the opinions of cancer patients, clinicians, and researchers regarding the inclusion of mental health data in clinical datasets accompanying biological samples in biobanks. The study involved 120 participants (40 from each group), and the data were analyzed using statistical methods.

Results: The study found significant differences in the perceived importance of including mental health information among the three groups. Patients showed a higher tendency (87.9%) to consider mental health questions relevant compared to researchers (72.08%) and clinicians (62.08%). The first four questions regarding emotional well-being received the highest positive responses, particularly from patients (94.3%). The findings underline the importance of addressing the mental health of cancer patients, which is often overlooked. The study emphasizes the necessity for integrating mental health data in biobanks and increasing psychological support for cancer patients.

Conclusions: There are clear differences in how patients, researchers, and clinicians value emotional and psychological aspects. The study underscores the need for better education on modern medical practices and the benefits of comprehensive patient care, including mental health considerations.

Keywords: cancer patients; clinical dataset; emotional status; mental health.